The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1887-03-10
MARION.

oQuluG luIOuSu lue SioSo lesCaleo q
friend, and few minutes later I was
seated noiselessly few feet behind her
! listening to "Lohengrin" and enjoying.
not for the first time, the charm of q
nearly perfect woman. Her profile came
against the dark lining of the boxes
across the way; her head, like those
of maidens in the Panathenen process
sion, bent forward triae moodily; o
small, pink, round ear was listening to
the slow words of youth directly at
her back, and I thought the polished
right shoulder-shoulders are immensely
expressive sometimes-had q certain
protesting turn to it. My ad&Tation
for this lovely vision had bezh open
enough the winter before to warrant
friends in retailing all the gossip of the
summer in regard to her, particularly as
to things might be expected by no
means to relish, and l sat wondering
wethcr any of it was true and whether
the distracted look in her face had to do
I with what l had heard.
Finally I examined the youth. He
proved to be noted leader of cotillions,
not born to New York, but already in
dispensable to young ladies and their
mammas who give balls; rightfully es-
teemed, moreover, for his taste in flow.
ers and the Citing up of boudoir and
drawing room. He, too, was worth ex-
amining. I could not but think how
nice of him it was that he, like the young
ladies, his patrons and clients, should
give so much time and pains to his
dress. Handsome to begin with, al
though not cast in any heroic mold, he
was exquisite as bouquet that comes
from the florist's-exactly proportioned
just right in the arrangement of the
flowers, sweet smelling and fresh, with
the ice water that artfully recalls dew
glimmering neatly ON rose and leaf. His
face did not indeed sparkle, but it was
fresh colored and the blonde mustache
curled with exact care at the right num-
Der of inches below the suggestion of a
curl on his white forehead. I envied
heartily the perfect set of his coat, the
unwrinkled line of his trousers, and the
little patent leather shoe that coyly
peeped below. The upper body was bent
at just the right angle at the waist,
creasing slightly the starched white
waistcoat with gold buttons. A flower
corresponding with the bouquet that she
had laid on the edge of the box was in
the lapel, and his gloved hands rested
against each other lightly, yet with the
motion of an appeal-an appeal belied,
however, by the immobilitvof his face.
wondered ii they were engaged, hoped
they were not, and fortified the hope By
rejecting that because they were SO
alike in some things, because their
names were connected, because it was to
the world in all respects 80 fitting a
match-iust for those reasons they never
would marry.
The act ended and I waited for him to
move, but he would not bulge, though
he saw me well enough and knew who l
was. had to rise and talk over him.
The warm look of friendship, the elab-
crate glance my friend gave round about
for chair for me, were not enough to
move him. She was determined, how.
ever; seeing that, he rose and bowed
himself out.
lis it true9" said I, nodding in his di-
rection.
She looked away, frowned slightly,
and said:
"Take me round to Mrs. Norman's
box; she is nearly alone and there is 30
much chattering here"
reflected as we passed to the other
box that last year she would not have
dared to suggest even such an innocent
thing as this. Once ensconced in the
vestibu!e to the box Of our kind chaperon
few questions brought food of news.
II always told you that you have the
gift of bringing condolences down on
yourself. Well, yes, am nalf engaged
to that-to that"
sLeader of cotillions," said gravely.
She laughed. ''He is more than that;
but am not in so much danger as you
NAV think. It is tribute to my vanity
to know that he is devoted to me. He is
very intimate with girls who make me
feel that do not belong to them and
theirs; that am not rich; that I do not
dress, live and talk like them. They in
vite me to their big balls, but not to their
special dances-don't you kg1y2, And
they ask him how his swimming-match
girl is, because | was the best swimmer
last year at Narragansett. But" land
here she heaved sigh, there is an
other"
"Great heavens! a thirdi'
She eyed me with her candid orbs and
forced faint, faint smile.
Come! You know l never reckoned
you among my conquests. You are be-
yond-above me. l cannot imagine you
among them, and somehow should be
sorry to class you with them. You are
apait; you are my father confessor."
Go on. then, small penitent; perhaps
after all I have heard OF him too"
She gave me wistful look out of large
brown eyes, as much as to say, Don't
believe anything wrong of me that gos-
sips may have reported" wanted little.
with her lovely head on one side, and
then said:
"Harry does lead the cotillion well,
and he dances perfectly. Then at Mar
ragansett he had his horses, and made
me use one. though l told mamma it was
not the right thing and would cause 9os-
sip. He monopolized every moment,
and Jack-that's the other one-had to
fight ior half an hours talk. But Harry
doscn't care for swimming, and DO. SO